Florida Atlantic men’s basketball opened the Sunshine Slam Classic with speed and composure, defeating Loyola Marymount University in the semifinal, but found itself clawing back from a tough start against George Mason University in the championship game on Tuesday night.
The Sunshine Slam format for the Beach and Ocean brackets is an 8-team, 2-game tournament. The semifinal round games for the Ocean and Beach brackets took place on Monday, Nov. 24, followed by the championship and third and fourth placement games in each bracket on Tuesday, Nov. 25. There was a winner for each bracket, as each team from the Beach bracket hosted an Ocean bracket team.
Semifinal – FAU 76, LMU 65
For the first time since 2023, FAU wore navy blue jerseys with white lettering as they faced off against Loyola Marymount University. Riding a two-game win streak going into the Sunshine Slam tournament, the Owls proved to have momentum on their side; height and length were the first noticeable differences between these two squads before tipoff.
FAU combined perimeter firepower, interior defense, and bench energy to set up a championship run. Guard Kanaan Carlyle caught fire early, hitting multiple threes to open the scoring and set the tone for the FAU backcourt. Florida Atlantic proved its ability to adapt under pressure, with guard Devin Vanterpool navigating a variety of new defensive schemes on the rising star, Carlyle knocking down 24 points, and Pintelon cleaning the glass with nine rebounds. FAU’s victory over LMU was mainly due to the battle on the boards, 42-29.
Going into the semifinal game, LMU started the season 6-0 (third time in program history) and was ranked in the top 20 in the nation in field goal percentage (.526%). After 40 minutes of Owl basketball, they were struggling to find the bottom of the basket. LMU was held to
30% shooting and 25% field goal percentage from behind the arc in the second half.
With a championship spot on the line, FAU found a balance of bench contributions to take control of the first meeting between the Lions and Owls in program history.
Carlyle and Vanterpool power the backcourt
Carlyle proved to be the difference-maker for FAU, as he struck from the three-point line early in the semifinal game and continued to rack up the points, finishing with 24, along with five assists.
The backcourt pair of Carlyle and Vanterpool quickly noticed the new defensive schemes as LMU switched back and forth between different man and zone defenses. In a postgame interview, Vanterpool credited the win to the team’s ability to talk through adversity, stronger chemistry, and simply being the hungrier team.
Energy off the bench was a key difference as forward Maxim Logue, guard Josiah Parker, and guard Yohann Sissoko stepped up when their names were called. There were six times in this game where the Owls scored a basket following a timeout, crediting the leadership of coach John Jakus.
Jakus has proven himself to be the leader of this crew, as he was a finalist for the nation’s top first-year head coach award in the 2024-2025 season. Jakus’ timeout play calls reminded FAU to keep the foot on the gas and keep the Lions out of rhythm. The low-post advantage and 13 rebound difference lead to LMU’s first loss of the season and the Owls soaring to a championship matchup on Nov. 25th with George Mason.
Championship – George Mason 74, FAU 65
The Geico Sunshine Slam men’s college basketball tournament returned to the Ocean Center on Nov. 25 as Florida Atlantic faced GMU in the Beach bracket Championship. The final matchup showed a different side of FAU as they got off to a nightmare start. GMU opened the game with a dunk from Riley Allenspatch and a 12-0 run. GMU looked a step faster as they swarmed on defense and overloaded the paint.
GMU shot over 50% from behind the arc in the first half and held the Owls to a season low 25 points at halftime. Carlyle continued to lead the offensive, scoring 22 points in the championship match. But a combination of seven turnovers and nine rebound-difference set the Owls back in the first half.
The 19-6 start in the championship led to the FAU coaching staff burning through timeouts quickly. This faceplant in the first half questioned the toughness of the Owl crew in the second half. Yet, with no surprise, the Owls found their groove. Forward Devin Williams played his role as a true rim protector, racking up three blocks for the evening. FAU is averaging 6.5 blocks a game and is ranked 12th in the nation in this category.
The game was clean, with only eight fouls called by the end of the first half. As FAU looked to surge late, sparking hope with two successful alley-oops in a row and a lead cut down to 12.
Perimeter defense was the key to this matchup, as late rotations and gaps fueled GMU’s victory. The Owls showed grit as they cut a 19-point deficit to 5 with 2:44 left in the Sunshine Slam tournament.
The Owls’ push came up short as GMU closed the game at the free-throw line. Kory Mincy, who entered as a 96% free-throw shooter, went three-for-three in the closing minutes, leading to a final score of 74-65.
The Owls return back to Boca Raton to take on the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on Sunday, Nov. 30. Tipoff is set f0r 3:30 p.m.
Riley Kozak is a Contributing Writer for the University Press. Email him at [email protected] for more information regarding this and other stories.
